Organized labour has urged all tiers of governments to put an end to what it called “endless wastage of lives of Nigerians including workers and pensioners by criminals and bandits” failing which “..in the fullest of times, workers will be forced to stay at home until workers’ lives are assured and protected.”
In a tribute at the wake keep of former first Deputy President of the National Union of Textile and Garment Workers’ Union Comrade David Kerigbo Ugondo, in Kaduna on Tuesday, the union’s General Secretary regretted that Nigerians were more secured at independence in 1960, than today adding that “Incidents of Armed robbery and kidnapping, armed attacks at home and along major highways are killing Nigerians more than HIV/AIDS!.”
Narrating how the late Comrade Ugondo at 67 was brutally gunned down together with three others including a serving army officer by suspected armed robbers during an attack along the notorious Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Road in Kaduna State two weeks ago, Comrade Aremu observed that humans “are endangered species” in Nigeria which he said was a “shame” and “unacceptable” . The labour leader said it was a paradox that with a serving President, Vice President, the ministers and governors, local governments chairmen, including community chiefs as well as security agencies, Nigeria lacked governance with respect to security of lives and properties as contained in 1999 constitution. “Without an official declaration of war, Nigerians daily die in the hands of armed robbers and criminals . Road accidents and incidents have turned homes and work places to sudden mourners” lamenting that working men and women, including retirees such as Comrade David Kerigbo Ugondo have all become victims of Violent Crimes in Nigeria”.
Comrade Issa Aremu who is also a NEC member of NLC said to stem the tide of criminality, it was time to demand for accountability on the part of our rulers. According to him there should be “consequences” for those elected and appointed to protect Nigerians in any security system failures. He said it was time for “Governors who cannot protect lives and properties” ought to be impeached adding that all governors took oath to implement 1999 constitution “which says primary purpose of governance is security and welfare of citizens”. In similar vain, the labour leader said “Commissioners of police under whose commands robberies occur frequently should be removed and prosecuted for negligence” decrying a situation in which security service agents paid to secure Nigerians looked the other ways while Nigerians were being slaughtered adding that “security officials who prevented and apprehended crimes should be promoted, honored and properly rewarded”. He said 2019 elections should be based on “who is capable of protecting us against untimely deaths weather caused by cholera, Malaria, Typhoid or Kidnappings and armed robberies.”
The labour leader said Nigeria has lost a huge human capital in the late unionist, who he said symbolized “dignity of labour, peace and unity of the labour movement while alive”. Aremu also demanded for what he called “road governance” in which he said “Commercial bus companies who take their passengers through serial robbery routes, but deliver them to mortuaries instead of their homes should be liable for culpability”. “Transporters must also as a matter of right be responsible for the safety of passengers through full disclosures of routes. They should not lead passengers by the nose to death traps. If they do they should be prosecuted” . The labour leader said “All transporters should insure their passengers with coverage that must include burials and compensation for the survivors of the passengers in cases of fatal accidents and robberies” . “The casualization of passengers’ lives before and after incidents” he said must stop.
